Material pumping assembly



Feb. 25, W59 w. 1.. ZINGA 3,

MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY Filed March 27, 1967 Sheet of 6 Feb. 25, 1969 w. 1.. ZINGA 3,429,257

MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY Flled March 27, 1967 Sheet ,3 of 6 Feb. 25, 1969 w. 1.. ZINGA MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY Sheet 3 of 6 Filed March 27, 1967 Feh25, 1969 w. ZINGA 2 I MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY Filed March 2 1967 Sheet 4 of 6 M/w/ 1.21m,

Feb. 25, 1969 w. L. ZINGA MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY f .of 6

Sheet Flled March 27, 1967 W/K M Z. Z/gm,

7m [far/{r Feb. 25, 1969 w. L. ZINGA MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY Q of 6 Sheet Filed March 27 1967 3,429,267 MATERIAL PUMPING ASSEMBLY William L. Zinga, Mount Prospect, Ill., assignor to Dynatran Corporation of Illinois, Bensenville, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 556,657, June 10. 1966. This application Mar. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 626,234 US. Cl. 103-49 Int. Cl. F04!) 17/00, 19/02, 7/00 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 556,657, filed June 10, 1966, now abandoned, and entitled Material Pumping Assembly.

This invention relates to material conveying devices and has particular relation to the field of concrete pumps.

The need for, and advantages of, concrete pumping assemblies has long been recognized. Such assemblies, capable of pumping concrete through an extended hose to a point of use are productive of numerous advantages, among which are the rapid unloading and consequent reduced turn-around time of concrete mix delivery trucks, freedom to position such trucks at a point remote from the cluttered or limited-area construction site, the avoidance of need for cranes, buckets, wheel barrels, elevators and the like and the reduced exposure of forms, electrical conduits, etc. to damage. Efforts to provide such devices have employed two fixed piston-cylinder assemblies and separate, independently operated knife, plug or butterfly valves to direct the concrete alternately to and from one cylinder and then the other. Such dual, fixed pistons thus fed into a Y or Siamese conduit and into reduced conduit diameters with which the delivery hose communicated. An alternate form employing two fixed pistons included a flipover or turntable type conduit alternating between the outlets of the two pistons. Another prior effort employed one fixed pumping piston and two or more valves of the knife, gate, hemispherical, ball or cam type to direct concrete from a hopper to the piston and from the piston to a delivery conduit. A third effort employed a flexible tube and roller means for squeezing it in the manner of a toothpaste tube. Such prior devices have, however, suffered from a number of drawbacks. The devices employing pistons, directional control valves, curved piping and reductions in piping diameters are subject to frequent plugging and resultant costly down-time. The battering of the concrete mix is injurious to valves. Turns and reductions in tubing are productive of an unmixing and a change of pattern in the aggregate distribution in the mix as the material moves through the assembly. Valves of the type previously employed and turns and reductions in tubing render cleaning ditficult. Squeeze tubes require replacement as they wear.

Accordingly it is one purpose of the invention to provide a concrete pumping assembly devoid of reductions or variances in conduit or tube diameter size.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a con- 3,429,267 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 'ice crete pumping assembly devoid of turns in conduits or tubes.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly devoid of valves subject to contact by the concrete being pumped.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly devoid of the need for separate valve-operating elements.

Another purpose is to provide a pumping assembly capable of maintaining the aggregate distribution pattern of the concrete mix being pumped.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly productive of minimum down time.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly which may be easily cleaned.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly capable of pumping concrete to a maximum height, horizontal distance and volume.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly having a maximum wear life and requiring a minimum of maintenance.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly capable of pumping a standard economical concrete mix and requiring no special mix for pumping through said assembly.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a con crete pump capable of efficient continuous transfer of concrete from a hopper to a point of use.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pump assembly of maximum simplicity and economy in manufacture and use.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly capable of automatic continuous operation.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly having means for maintaining uniformity in the concrete mix to be pumped.

Another purpose is to provide a concrete pumping assembly having means for insuring desired presentation of concrete to the pumping elements of the assembly.

Other purposes will appear from time to time during the course of the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view;

FIGURE 2 is an end view in partial cross-section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation in partial cross section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an end view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 5, 6, 7 and 8 are schematic views illustrating a pumping cycle;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of a variant form of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a side view in section taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is an end view of the form illustrated in FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 12 is an opposite end view of the form illustrated in FIGURE 9.

Like parts are indicated by like numerals throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 generally designates a hopper having an upwardly open top end 2. The hopper 1 may be generally circular in planar configuration having a downwardly, inwardly, conically inclined circumferential wall 3. A bottom wall 4 of the hopper 1 centrally supports an upstanding shaft 5 which in turn carries a plurality of mixer paddle and pressure members such as those shown at 6 and 7. The paddle member 6 includes a plurality of individual paddles 8,

shown as four in number. Each of the paddles 8 lies in an angular plane with respect to the axis of shaft 5, is generally trowel-shaped in planar configuration and includes an aperture such as that shown at 811. The paddle member 7 similarly includes a plurality of individual paddles 9, shown as four in number. The paddles 9 similarly lie in inclined planes with respect to the axis of shaft 5. Each of the paddles 9 is generally rectilinear in planar configuration and each includes a plurality of apertures such as that shown at 9a. Suitable drive means (not shown) are provided for shaft and paddle members 6 and 7, said drive means being conveniently mounted, for example, on crossbeam 5a.

A portion 4a of the bottom wall 4 is upwardly offset as indicated at 10. As may be best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the bottom wall 4 has a centrally positioned, elongated, upwardly arcuate portion, such as that indicated at 11. The portion 11 is positioned between a set of oppositely curved, paralleling bottom wall portions 12, 13, the portions 12, 13 constituting laterally aligned lowermost portions of the hopper 1.

A grate or screen 15 extends across the upper open end 2 of the hopper 1 and is supported on four equally spaced supports 16 extending inwardly from the inner surface of the wall 3.

Positioned beneath and within the upwardly curved center portion 11 of the wall 4 and conveniently extending beyond the hopper wall 3 is a delivery or discharge conduit or tube 17. The upwardly offset portion 4a of the hopper wall terminates above wall portion 11 and discharge tube 17, to define with its inner edge 4b the horizontal upper edge of an opening 10a, the side edges of the opening 10a being indicated at 20 and 21, the opening 10a thus extending across the hopper bottom portions 12, 13 and the reception end 17a of tube 17.

Positioned adjacent the hopper 1 is a pump assembly indicated generally by the numeral 25. The pump assembly includes a pair of parallel, adjacent concreting or pumping members 26, 27. Each of the members 26, 27 includes an hydraulic operating member such as those shown at 28, 29. The members 28, 29 may take the form of the conventional, well known hydraulic cylinder-piston assemblies illustrated and are therefore not shown in detail. Each member 28, 29, however, includes a piston rod, such as that shown at 28a in FIGURE 3, each of the rods extending into an axially aligned pumping cylinder, such as those indicated at 31, 32, the rod of each member 28, 29 carrying a pumping piston 30 for reciprocation in its associated cylinder 31, 32.

A track assembly includes a pair of elongated, parallel angle members 36', 37 carried by supports indicated genrally at 38, 39. The track members 36, 37 include roller elements 40 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and roller elements 41 mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. A rear wear plate 42 is secured to the members 28, 29 and to cylinders 31, 32 and extends perpendicularly in opposite directions therefrom. Plate 42 is apertured, as indicated at 43 in FIGURE 3, to provide for extension therethrough of the piston rods of members 28, 29. The wear plate 42 rides on rollers 40, 41.

A yoke 45 is secured to the cylinders 31, 32 externally thereof and intermediate their ends. An hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 46 has an extending rod 47 secured to the yoke 45 for reciprocal movement thereof in a path perpendicular to the path of pistons 30.

The cylinders 31, 32 carry at their ends opposite the wear plate 42, a second plate member 50' which is slidable within track members 51 carrying rollers 52 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and rollers 53 mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. Track 51 includes the elongated lower track 51a and the track portions 51b and 51c on opposite sides of hopper 1. The plate member 50, which serves the plural functions of a support, a

wear plate and a valve means, includes end portions 55, 56 having smooth, flat forward valving surfaces 57, 58. The wear valve plate 50 is, intermediate its surfaces 57, 58, apertured as indicated at 60 and 61 in FIGURE 2. It will be observed that the apertures 60, 61 in plate 50 are coaxial with cylinders 31, 32 and have a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tubes 31, 32 and to the inner diameter of the discharge tube 17. As may be best seen in FIGURE 2, the curvature of hopper bottom wall portions 12 and 13 is such and the side edges 20, 21 are so positioned as to align with the lower semi-circular edge of the openings 60, 61 when said openings are positioned for reception of material from hopper 1. Similarly, as may be best seen in FIGURE 3, the upper edge of plate 50 rides immediately below the end segment of wall portion 40 adjacent edge 4b and the limited space, if any, between said edge and said wall portion will be sealed by the concrete in hopper 1.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 9-12, it will be noted that the hopper 101 is of generally rectilinear planar configuration. A paddle or mixer support shaft 105 extends horizontally across the hopper 101 and is driven by a hydraulic paddle motor 105a carried externally on a side wall of hopper 101. The shaft 105 carries a plurality of paddle members 106, 107 rotatable through vertical planes, at set of paddles 106, 107 being positioned on each side of a central rise 111 in the bottom wall of hopper 101. A top grate 115 is supported in the upper open end of hopper 101 by a hinge 116. A horizontally disposed discharge tube 117 extends beneath the rise 111 of hopper 101 and a clamp 117b secures the tube 117. The open receiving end 117a of tube 117 extends forwardly of a forward vertical wall 104 of hopper 101.

As may be best seen in FIGURE 12, a curved opening 120 is formed in the wall 104. A ringlike valve and wear plate lubricator-seal member 110 is secured externally as by bolts 110a to the forward wall 104 and surrounds the opening 120 and the open end 117a of discharge tube 117. Tube 110 includes a circular lubricator hose 11% having a forwardly disposed opening 1100 and a connection 110d for supply of lubricant to the hose 11%.

A set of parallel pumping cylinders 125, 127, with which axially aligned hydraulic actuators 128, 129 are respectively associated, are aligned with hopper 101 and with the opening 120 therein.

Since the elements 125, 127 and 128, 129 correspond substantially to the pumping cylinders 25, 27 and hydraulic actuators 28, 29 described above, they need not be further described in detail herein. A rotary hydraulic actuator or motor 146 drives a horizontally disposed shaft 147 which is rotatably journaled in supports indicated generally at 147a. A supporting joinder plate 14717 positions the rear portions of the hydraulic actuators 128, 129 and secures them to shaft 147. A plate carries on its opposite faces the actuating members 128, 129 and the pumping cylinders 125, 127. The open distal end portions of the pumping cylinders 125, 127 carry a support-and-wear-plate-valve member 150. The member 150 comprises a rear support plate 150a and a forward wearand-valve plate member 15%. The forward surface of member 15Gb engages the lubricant-seal member 11Gb. The member 150a carries a boss 1500 supportable on an end stub portion of shaft 147. It will be undestood that the members 150a, 150k are apertured in alignment with the material delivery or pumping cylinders 125, 127 in the manner of sliding plate valve 58 and that members 147b, 140 and 150 are reciprocally rotatable in an arc with the cylinders 125, 127 in response to rotation of shaft 147 by rotary actuator 146.

Access hatches are provided in the bottom wall of hopper 101, beneath the paddle members on opposite sides of the rise 111. Hatch handles 171 are provided at the side walls of hopper 101 for actuation of the access and cleanout hatches 170.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The concrete mix to be conveyed is delivered to the screen 15 at the upper open end of hopper 1. The openings in screen 15 are of predetermined size capable of retaining undesired items of a greater size. The mix delivered through screen 15 into hopper 1 is further mixed and impelled by the blades of the impeller structures 6, 7 rotating with shaft 5. Thus the mix is delivered to the lowermost side portions 12, 13 of the hopper 1 under the pressure created by the action of gravity in combination with the action of the impeller 6, 7.

Referring now to the schematic showing in FIGURES 5-8, it will be observed that the concreting or pumping cylinders 31, 32 are shown in FIGURE 5 with the cylinder 31 aligned with that portion of the opening 101: in hopper 1 which is in turn aligned with the lowermost portion 12 of hopper 1. With cylinder 31 thus aligned, the cylinder 32 is automatically aligned with the discharge or delivery pipe or conduit 17. In this position the hydraulic cylinder assembly 46 is at the end of its travel in one direction and the piston rod 47 of assembly 46 is at its withdrawn position. The piston 30 in cylinder 31 is at its forwardmost position and the piston 30 in cylinder 32 is at its rearmost position.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, it will be observed that the piston 30 in cylinder 31 has been withdrawn ot its rearmost position, thus drawing a charge of concrete mix from the lowermost portion 12 of hopper 1 into and filling the open area of cylinder 31. The surface 58 of end portion 56 on plate 50 closes the entirety of the openings a with the exception of that aligned with the aperture 60 in plate 50, including, of course, the portion of opening 10a which is aligned with the lowermost portion 13 of hopper 1.

Thus the concrete in hopper 1 is permitted to escape only through the aperture 60 in plate 50 and into cylinder 31 when the parts are shown in the position of FIGURES 5 and 6. No separate valve member and no separate valve-operating means are required, the plate 50 serving as a forward support and wear plate as well as a valve means. The valving surfaces of plate 50 are never subjected to concrete under the pumping pressure of the pistons 30. Simultaneously with the withdrawal of piston 30 and cylinder 31 the piston 30 in cylinder 32 is moved forwardly to pump or expel concrete from cylinder 32 into and through the delivery conduit 17, the cylinder 32 having been previously filled with concrete mix as appears hereinbelow.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, it will be observed that the rod 47 of hydraulic piston and cylinder assembliy 46 has been extended to the opposite end of its travel at which point the cylinder 31 is aligned with delivery conduit 17 and the cylinder 32 is aligned with the lowermost hopper portion 13. With the parts in this position, the surface 57 of plate 50 will close all of the opening 10a in hopper 1 except for the aperture 61 in plate 50. Upon reaching the position shown in FIGURE 7, it will be recalled that cylinder 31 had been previously filled with concrete to be conveyed, and at this point the piston 30 in cylinder 31 is moved forwardly, as appears in FIGURE 8, to pump or discharge the concrete mix from cylinder 31 into and through delivery conduit 17. Similarly, the piston 30 of cylinder 32, which had reached its forwardmost position in discharging concrete into pipe 17, as appears in FIGURE 6, is withdrawn, as appears in FIGURE 8, to draw concrete mix into cylinder 32 from hopper 1 through the aperture 61 in plate 50.

Following the action illustrated in FIGURE 8, the rod 47 of assembly 46 is again withdrawn into the position shown in FIGURE 5, at which point the sequence above described is repeated, the cylinder 32 having thus filled with concrete preparatory to discharging the same into delivery pipe 17, as appears in FIGURE 6.

Thus the concrete is never required to turn in the process of its pumping, being acquired in a direct line of travel into cylinders 31, 32 and being delivered in a direct line of travel into and through conduit 17 Similarly, the diameters of cylinders 31, 32, openings 60', 61 and conduit 17 being substantially identical, the concrete moves undisturbed by reductions or variances in conduit size.

It will be realized that a source of hydraulic fluid pressure is provided and that suitable sequencing controls are included for directing fluid pressure to the opposite ends of hydraulic cylinder and piston assemblies 28, 29 and 46 in predetermined timed sequence in order to produce the reciprocating action of the rod 47 and the pistons 30 described above. Since conventional, wellknown elements may be employed in such hydraulic power source, direction and sequencing, the same are not illustrated or described herein in detail.

Similarly, it will be understood that the invention herein with its source of hydraulic fluid under pressure and the sequencing controls for assemblies 28, 29 and 46 may, because of its simplicity and resulting minimum weight and bulk, be conveniently mounted on a suitable wheeled platform or truck, for mobility. Since the delivery hose (not shown) attached to the discharge outlet end 1712 of delivery pipe 17 is normally of substantial length, such platform or truck may be positioned at a point remote from the construction site or from the point of final delivery of the concrete mix. The upper open end 2 of hopper 1 is conveniently fed from one or more concrete mix delivery trucks. When simultaneously fed from more than one such truck, the impellers 6, 7 tend to provide a blend of the mixes from such trucks when, on occasion, such mixes vary somewhat from truck to truck.

The device of the invention is capable of emptying the elongated hose attached to the discharge outlet 17!) of delivery conduit 17 by a mere reversal of the sequencing controls for the assemblies 28, 29 and 46. In this manner the pistons 30 of cylinders 31, 32 are withdrawn when aligned with conduit 17 to draw concrete remaining in the delivery hose respectively into the cylinders 31, 32. Similarly, the pistons 30 are moved forward when the cylinders 31, 32 are alternately aligned with hopper portions 12, 13, respectively. It will be understood that portions 12, 13 could be hinged and opened to deliver the concrete withdrawn from the delivery hose onto the ground beneath hopper 1. It will be realized that the conveying hose may have a substantial length and that the hose may be raised to substantial height. Consequently, when pumping ceases, a substantial quantity of concrete mix will remain in the conveying hose which can thus be removed from the hose.

While the opening 10a is shown herein, it will be understood that the wall 3 could be continued below the indented portion shown at 10 and that circular openings could be provided at lowermost portions 12, 13, the said openings being positioned for alignment with and having the diameter of the openings 60, 61 in plate 50 and the cylinders 31, 32 without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

The device of the invention may be easily cleaned by delivery of water, for example, into the upper open end 2 of the hopper 1 promptly after the concrete-transfer operation has been completed and before any concrete remaining within the structure has hardened. The action of the device described above is then carried through, water being pumped by the pistons 30 in cylinders 31, 32 through the entire structure, including the delivery hose attached to the outlet end 17b of delivery conduit 17.

The operation of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 9-12 is similar to that of the form illustrated in FIGURES 1-8. In the form of FIGURES 9-12, however, the pumping cylinders 125, 127 and actuators 128, 129, along with wear plate and valve member 15% are reciprocated in an are about the axis of shaft 147, as may be best realized, perhaps, from a view of FIGURE 11. It will be realized that the structure, when in the position illustrated in FIGURE 11, positions the pumping cylinder 127 in alignment with discharge tube 117 for discharge of liquid concrete or the like from the cylinder 127 into and through the tube 117. At this position, also, the pumping cylinder 125 is aligned with that portion of the opening 120 on one side of the rise 111, as may be seen in dotted lines in FIGURE 12. At this point the cylinder 125 is withdrawing concrete from the hopper 101 and filling itself. When the cylinder 127 has been emptied and the cylinder 125 filled, the pumping structure is rotated through an arc, i.e. to the left as the parts are shown in FIGURE 11, to position the full cylinder 125 in alignment with discharge tube 117 and the empty cylinder 127 in alignment with opening 120 on the opposite side of rise 111. At this point the operation is, in a sense, reversed in that the cylinder 125 is emptied into discharge tube 117 and the cylinder 127 is filled from the hopper 101. Thereupon the structure is again moved through its are into the position shown in FIGURE 11 and the process is repeated.

Paddles 106, 107 serve to insure proper mixing and also to facilitate complete filling of the pumping cylinders.

It will, of course, be understood that the conventional fluid pressure source, conduits, sequence controls and the like described above are equally usable with the structures of FIGURES 1-8 and 9-12.

While the invention is described herein as effective for the transfer, pumping or conveying of concrete mix and while the invention may find its primary use in the conveying of concrete mixes, it will, of course, be understood that the device of the invention is capable of pumping and conveying materials having some of the properties of concrete mixes. Thus the materials to be conveyed may vary and, whereas there has been shown and described a particular form of the invention, it will be understood that details thereof may be varied without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

What is claimed:

1. A concrete pumping assembly including an upwardly open hopper, a fixed discharge-delivery tube extending laterally beneath a central portion of said hopper, said hopper having a pair of lowermost portions positioned on opposite sides of said dischargedelivery tube, said discharge-delivery tube and said lowermost portions being plate having a pair of apertures therethrough and a solid portion, said plate being movable across the aligned open ends of said lowermost portions and said discharge-delivery tube for axial alignment of said plate apertures with said discharge-delivery tube and with one of said lowermosL-portions, said solid plate portion closing the other of said lowermost portions, a pair of pumping cylinders secured to said wear plate, each of said pumping cylinders having an open end aligned with one of said plate apertures, a pumping piston in each of said cylinders, a pair of hydraulic motors secured to said cylinders, each of said motors being operatively connected to one of said pistons for reciprocation thereof within its associated cylinder, and means for moving said plate, cylinders and motors together alternatively across said lowermost portion and discharge-delivery tube openings and for reciprocating said pistons in opposite alternative directions in timed sequence whereby one of said cylinders is aligned with said discharge-delivery tube and the piston n said cylinder is advanced within said cylinder, the other of said cylinders is aligned with one of said lowermost hopper portion open ends and the piston within said lastnamed cylinder is withdrawn.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a flexible seal member carried by said hopper and surrounding said open ends of said discharge delivery tube and said lowermost portions, said seal member being in continuous sealing contact with said valving wear plate at all positions thereof.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said lowermost hopper portions extend beneath said discharge-delivery tube and said plate, cylinders and motors are reciprocated in an arcuate path across the open ends of said dischargedelivery tube and said lowermost portion open ends.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 93,368 8/1869 Mast 222-241 1,345,865 7/1920 Little 222240 XR 2,033,338 3/1936 Kirby 103159 2,393,096 1/1946 Fitzgerald 103-l66.5 3,181,469 5/1965 Schumann 10349 ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

